Door latch



' Sept. 3, 1968 F. P., NAGY DOOR LATCH Filed April 17, 1967 IN VEN TOR. Fmme 7-? A496 Y i j/vars I United States Patent 3,399,918 DOOR LATCH Frank P. Nagy, Rte. 3, Box 366-B, Kannapolis, N.C. 28081 Filed Apr. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 631,312 8 Claims. (Cl. 292-136) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A door latch device comprising a plate hingedly mounted on a door and adapted to engage a doorstop. The plate is made up of two portions angularly disposed with respect to one another and has a free outer end with a slot therein which engages the doorstop.

of the portions has an inwardly curving free end which is provided with a slot. The slot is adapted to engage the enlarged head of a doorstop and maintain the door in an open position. In addition, the outer convex surface of the second plate is adapted to abut the enlarged head of a doorstop while the free outer edge of the second plate abuts the first plate when the door is unlatched.

The latch of the present invention is easy to operate, inexpensive to produce and can be readily installed on a door by unskilled labor.

Further, since the latch has only one :moving part and unlike latches in the prior art, does not utilize a spring in its assembly which would be subject to breakage after repeated use, the latch of the present invention is extremely durable.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become. more apparent from the following description when in combination with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved door latch of the present invention showing the door latch engaging a doorstop;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the improved door latch of the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the improved door latch of the present invention.

The door latch of the present invention which is generally indicated by reference character '8 comprises a first plate and a second plate -16 which are connected by a hinge 14. It is contemplated that the latch 8 can be made from brass, bronze, iron, steel or other similar ma terials.

In the preferred embodiment, hinge 14 is mounted adjacent one end of the first plate 10 and plate 10 is preferably mounted on a door 28 or a similar structure by means of screws 13 which pass through apertures 12 located in the plate 10. However, it is contemplated that other suitable fastening devices could be utilized to mount plate 10 on the door 28 if desired.

The second plate 16 is made up of first and second portions 18 and 20 respectively. The first portion 18 is planar and at its inner end is pivotally connected to plate 10 by hinge 14. The second portion 20 extends at substantially right angles to said first portion 18 and is curved 3,399,918 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 inwardly forming a concave inner surface 22 and a convex outer surface 24. The second portion 20 has a free outer edge 26 and is provided with a centrally located elongated slot 28 which is open at the outer edge 26 and extends from the outer edge 26 to a point adjacent the juncture of the first and second portions 18 and 20. The slot 28 has a width which is relatively greater than that of stem 31 of doorstop 30 and relatively less than that of head 32 of doorstop 30 so that while the second portion will straddle the stem 31, it will not pass over the head 32.

With the latch in its normal unlatched position as shown in broken lines in FIGURE 3, the free outer end 26 of the second portion of plate 16 abuts first plate 10 and the convex outer surface 24 of the second portion 20 engages the head 32 of the doorstop when the door 28 is opened. When it is desired to latch the door, as is shown in FIGURE 1, the second plate 16 is swung down over the doorstop 30 with the slot 28 straddling the doorstop and the inner concave surface 22 of plate 16 engaging the head 32 of the doorstop holding the door in place. Due to the concave inner surface 22 of the door latch, the latch 8 is securely held in place and plate 16 will not pivot upwardly over the head 32 when pressure is exerted on the door 28 so as to close it. Further, should the door be momentarily opened to such an extent that the inner surface 22 no longer contacts head 32, the slotted second portion would still straddle the horizontal stem of doorstop 30 or, if the door were opened far enough, pivot downwardly and engage the vertical stem of the doorstop 30 so as to prevent the door from becoming unlatched. Of course, any further opening of the door when latched is limited by the head 32 which contacts the plate 10 after a slight movement of the door.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A door latch adapted to engage a doorstop having an enlarged head portion comprising: a first plate mounted on a door, a second plate having first and second portions, hinge means pivotally securing one end of said first plate to one end of said first portion of said second plate, said second portion of said second plate extending at an angle from the other end of said first portion of said second plate, said second portion having a free outer edge adapted to abut said first plate, said first portion of said second plate extending outwardly at an angle with respect to said first plate and said second portion of said second plate extending from said other end of said first portion toward said first plate when said free outer edge abuts said first plate, and said second portion having a slot therein with a surface of said second portion adjacent said slot being adapted to engage the enlarged head of the doorstop.

2. The door latch of claim 1 wherein said second portion curves inwardly forming a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface.

3. The door latch of claim 2 wherein the slot extends from said a free outer edge of said second portion and the inner concave surface of the second portion is adapted to abut the enlarged head of the doorstop when the door is latched.

4. The door latch of claim 3 wherein said second portion extends at substantially right angles to said first portion.

5. The door latch of claim 3 wherein the outer convex surface of said second plate is adapted to abut the head of the doorstop and the free outer edge of said second plate abuts the first plate when the door is unlatched.

6. A door latch assembly comprising: a doorstop having an enlarged head portion, a first plate mounted on a door, a second plate having first and second portions, hinge means pivotally securing one end of said first plate to one end of said first portion of said second plate, said second portion of said second plate extending at an angle from the other end of said first portion of said second plate, said first portion extending outwardly at an angle from said first plate and said second portion extending from the other end of said first portion toward said first plate when the assembly is in a latched position, said second portion having a slot therein with an inner surface of said second portion adjacent said slot engaging said enlarged head of said doorstop when the assembly is in the latched position.

7. The door latch assembly of claim 6 wherein said second portion curves inwardly forming a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface.

8. The door latch assembly of claim 6 wherein said second portion extends at substantially right angles to said first portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner. 

